Bradshaw expects physical game when Big Blue visits San Francisco

EAST RUTHERFORD — Even before he ran for a career-best 200 yards last week against the Browns, Ahmad Bradshaw knows he will be a marked man whenever the Giants try to run the ball tomorrow against the San Francisco 49ers defense.

Bradshaw remembers how physical last January’s NFC title game against the ’Niners at Candlestick Park was, and he’s expecting a lot of the same when the 3-2 Giants visit the 4-1 ’Niners in a showdown between the defending Super Bowl champs and the team many expect to win the world title this season.

“They’re just physical and they’re strong,” Bradshaw said this week as the Giants got ready to return to the City by the Bay where they earned the right to play in Super Bowl XLVI by beating San Francisco, 20-17, on an overtime Lawrence Tynes 31-yard field goal.

Bradshaw ran for 74 yards in that game as the G-Men earned only three rushing first down.

“They shed blocks better than anybody in the league,” Bradshaw said when asked what makes the 49ers so successful.

“They hit people up front and they come back to the ball. If the ball gets past them, they make plays downfield, even the big guys. So they never quit, they never stop,” added Bradshaw.

San Fran ranks seventh in the NFL in rushing defense, giving up only 81.4 yards a game. They use a 3-4 formation, which is usually most effective at shutting down a running team.

What makes the ’Niners defense so successful is how disciplined it is, plus it has an outstanding group of linebackers. Most of the physicality comes from its secondary and linebackers.

Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride describes them best.

“They pin their ears back,” he says about how the ’Niners react on passing downs.

The Giants averaged 3.27 yards per run the last time they played in San Fran, but through the air gained 267 as Eli Manning completed 33 of 58 throws.

He paid a heavy price, though, getting sacked six times, the most times he was taken down last season.

“Our challenge,” said guard Kevin Boothe, “is to get yardage in the early down and distances. Whether it’s run or pass to set up manageable third downs and situations where we can have an open playbook rather than everyone knowing we have to throw the ball because it’s third-and-eight-plus.’”

The G-Men hope Manning gets more time to throw so Bradshaw won’t need to carry more than he usually does.

Bradshaw meanwhile said he wouldn’t mind if he is the main weapon in the run game since Andre Brown is coming back from a concussion and rookie David Wilson may not be ready for this big a challenge.

“Expect the unexpected,” Bradshaw said. “With this line, there’s no telling what we can accomplish, and we’re just going to go out there and give it our all.”